Gas turbines operate to produce mechanical work or thrust, and are typically coupled to a generator for producing electricity. The drawing of electrical current from the generator causes a load to be applied to the gas turbine. This load is essentially a resistance that the gas turbine must overcome so that the generator maintains an electrical output.
Control systems are often used to regulate the operation of gas turbines. In operation, a control system may receive information about a variety of conditions such as, for example, pressures, temperatures, fuel flow rates, and engine frequencies, among others. In response, the control system can make adjustments to the inputs of the gas turbine engine to maintain desired performance.
Over time, sensors used in a gas turbine for monitoring turbine conditions, including pressure sensors, can become deficient (i.e., do not provide an accurate or reliable signal), and as a result, proper monitoring of the gas turbine becomes more difficult. It is preferable to detect the failure of sensors as early as possible, to avoid the possibility of the control system making decisions based on deficient sensor measurements or input from a failing sensor. Accordingly, an improved method of determining the health of a sensor in a gas turbine that addresses these issues, among others, is needed.